NIA conducts raids in Kashmir, Delhi and Haryana over terror funding in Valley

New Delhi/Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday carried out raids at 23 places in Kashmir, Delhi and Haryana in connection with funding received from Pakistan for terror and violence in the Valley. The move indicates that the Centre is rapidly moving towards a “permanent solution” in trouble-ridden Kashmir.

Union home minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi made it clear that the Centre was determined to “uproot” Pakistan-sponsored terrorism from the Valley and reiterated that his government was working for a “permanent solution”.

That time was ticking away for Kashmir’s separatists became somewhat evident when the NIA raided the premises of the relatives and close associates of Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani, besides other leaders and functionaries of the outfit.

In the Valley, raids were carried out at the houses of Mr Geelani’s son-in-law Altaf Ahmed Shah alias Fantosh, aide Raja Merajuddin Kalwal, Islamic Salvation Front leader Zafar Akbar Bhat, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s aide Shahid-ul-Islam and businessman Zahoor Watali.